| Text Release Date and Time: 2009-11-02 09
November STEP - Pedestrian Safety
The Selected Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) for the month of November
will
focus on pedestrians and pedestrian safety. According to data from Alberta
Transportation, pedestrian casualty collisions are more likely to occur
between September and December, with November having the highest rate of
pedestrian casualty collisions compared to any other month of the year.
Pedestrian casualty collisions are also most likely to occur during evening
rush hour (3:00pm - 7:00pm). This time frame accounts for 30% of all
pedestrian collisions during the day.
Drivers involved in a pedestrian casualty collision failed to yield the right
of way to the pedestrian 37.7% of the time. However, in 38.2 % of pedestrian
collisions, the driver involved was driving properly. The importance of both drivers and pedestrians utilizing the roadway properly cannot be stressed
enough.
During the month of November, Police will be focusing their attention not only
on drivers yielding the right of way to pedestrians when appropriate, but
also on pedestrians crossing the road in a proper manner. Between October
30th and November 8th the Medicine Hat Police Service safety messaging trailer
will be displaying "Watch for Pedestrians - They can come from anywhere"
The fine for drivers failing to yield the right of way to a pedestrian in
acrosswalk or passing another vehicle stopped at a crosswalk is $575. The fine
for pedestrians not crossing a roadway properly is $57.
For more information please contact:
Sgt. Stacey Fishley
Supervisor i/c Traffic Unit Medicine Hat Police Service 403-529-8471
* All statistics cited are for the year 2007 and are courtesy of Alberta
Transportation Office of Traffic Safety. |
Office of the Chief
